Shutter type partition for refrigerators



June 25, 1935. C KEST N 2,006,046

SHUTTER TYPE PARTITION FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed May 2, 1932 Fit 2. -II1Z Q Ola. 0..

12 INVENTOR 710W C, W

Patented June 25, 1935 V i UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE SHUTTER TYPE PARTITION FOR REFBIGERATORS amine. Huckestein, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1 Application May 2, 1932, Serial No. 608,588 V 1 Claim. (01. 62-47) This invention relates to improvements in struction. The interior of the refrigerator charm household refrigerators and it is among'the' obher is provided with shelves 4 and 5 of the usual jects thereof to provide means for dividing the wire mesh type which are secured on the interior refrigerator chamber in two or more compartof the wall in any suitable manner and a shelf 5 ments each of which may be maintained at dif- Ii constructed of sheet metal or the like is dis- 5 ferent temperatures without regulation of the posed between the shelves 4 and 5. The shelf 6 control of thejfreezing element. u I is provided with perforations I which may be of The ."present invention is adapted for use in such number and diameter as to cause substanrefrigerators of the conventional type which have tially no impediment to the circulation of the 10 alreadybeen constructed according "to'convencooling mediumin the refrigeratorchamber or 10 tional practice and is more especially applicable the perforations may be sofew in number and to refrigerators of new construction in which of such constricted dimensions as to decidedly inspecial provision may be made for obtaining the terfere with the circulation of the coolingv medium maximum efficiency of temperature control. -from the freezing unit 3 to the bottom of the In accordance with the present invention, one refrigerator chamber. In any event, piovision 5 of the shelves for supporting food stuifs is of may be made by a shutter 8 toclose the perforaperforated construction and provided with a tions 1 when desired to completely divide the reshutter or other means for closing the perforafrigerator chamber in an upper compartment tions whereby the cooling medium from the freez- 9 and a lower compartment Ill. The shutter 8 ing unit which is contained in either the top or is provided with slots Ia through which extend 20 bottom chambers thus constituted; is primarily the heads 6a of screws or rivets secured to the confined to the compartment in which the unit shelf 6 to provide for relative sliding movement is located. of shelf 5 and shutter 8.

By so dividing a refrigerator chamber, one of By so dividing the refrigerator chamber into the compartments may be employedmore eflecseparate. compartments, the compartment in 25 tively for freezing food stuffs of the more perishwhich the freezing unit 3 is located will be kept able kinds such as meat, eggs, fish or the like, and at relatively low temperatures while the comfor cooling beverages, while the other compartpartment below the partition member 6 will be ment although held at lower temperatures than at higher te p a and the food S'tllfis y 80 atmospheric temperature on the outside of the e red in h r c mp m nt in rda :0 refrigerator is at considerably higher temperawith the particular needs for their preservation ture than the freezing compartment. and conditioning.

The invention will be more apparent from Although a single perforated partition member consideration of the accompanying drawing con, 6 has been shown in Figure 1 it will be evident stituting a part hereof in which like reference that a plurality of Such members y e m- 35 char t designate lik art d in m h; ployed to divide the refrigerator chamber in two Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a domestic m r compartments 1 i drefrigerator with th or open d m hu The construction of the shelf 6 is more clearly an mb di t of th present m t shown in connection with Figures 2 and 3 of the 40 Figure 2 top plan View 1 a perforated t drawing in which the shutter element 8 is shown 40 t h m embodied in th refrigerator of m as provided with'perforations which, in one posi- 1; tion, register with the perforation I of the shelf Figure 3 a cross-sectienal View of t shelf 6,and when the shutter is pulled out, the perforashown in Figure 2 taken alo t n m m tions T of the shelf 6 are completely closed. The thereof; edge of the shutter 8 is fully extended when the 45 Figure 4 a longitudinal vertical sectional view perforations are closed so that the door 2 when of an insulating pad or linerwhich may be em closed will abut the extended edge of the shutter ployed in accordance with this invention; and to Off P bottom compaflmfimt from the Figure 5 a top plan view of the pad sho in cooling medium, The shelf is in lntlmate contact Figure with the walls of the chamber to prevent air 50 With reference to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the Passing around the d s xc pt when the shutter drawing, the structure therein illustrated comis in the open position when, of course, the front prises a, refrigerator I having a door 2 and a, edge of the shutter 8 is pushed in to open the freezing unit 3 provided in the upper right hand perforations 1 resulting in a space between the 5 corner thereof, all of which is of well-known condoor and shelf.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing are illustrated flexible pads I I which may be stufled with an insulating material l2 such as felt or the like, the outer material of the pad being of a water resisting character.

The flexible pads ll may be placed in refrigerators by simply disposing them over one of the wire screen shelves as shown in Figure 1 instead of employing the perforated metal or non-flexible type of shelf like the shelf 6 of Figure 1, such flexible pads being usable in refrigerators already inuse.

If a more permanent type of partition is desirable or one with a shutter member 8, such a shelf may be employed if it is provided with a rubber or flexible flap l3 as shown in Figure 2, this flap intimately engaging the inner wall of the refrigerator to form an effective seal,

It is evident from the foregoing description of this invention that refrigerators for domestic use when embodying the perforated regulable shelves of this invention will permit of more desirable regulation of temperatures for food stuffs of different types, and such partition members when in use will also efiect economy of the refrigerating medium and the use of power since the freezing compartment in which the freezing unit is installed will be more readily maintained at desirable freezing temperatures with less operation of the unit than if the entire refrigerator chamber is open for circulation of the cooling medium therein.

By means of the partitioning member with the regulation of circulation in a refrigerator chamher, the various compartments may be more effectively utilized to secure lower freezing temperatures on the one hand and higher temperatures for the storage of butter, vegetables, and. substances which are not benefited by the freezing temperaturesof the colder compartments.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

In a refrigerator, a food storage chamber, a partition dividing said chamber into upper and lower compartments, said partition consisting of a perforated shelf insulated from the walls of said chamber to make an air tight joint with. said wall, a freezing unit in the upper compartment and a shutter for opening and closing the perforations of the partition, said shutter when closed providing circulation of the cooling medium in the upper compartment only and, when opened, providing circulation of the cooling medium in both compartments.

NORMAN C. HUCKESTEIN. 

